Need Courage?

The true measure of a man’s courage is not determined by how he responds to a situation in which he is given no choice but to act; it is determined by how he responds when he is given a choice.

For a Christian who believes God, courage is spiritual, it is intestinal and it is fortitude; that is, it is strength of mind that comes from the gut empowered by the spirit of God through Jesus Christ. It is the energy of your belief in God’s Word’s of Truth, the energy of your trust in God’s power and presence, the energy of your conviction in God’s faithfulness and justice.

Courage is not a feeling. In fact, when doing that which one would describe as courageous you will seldom “feel” courageous — if anything, you may feel just the opposite. The times that I have been what would be defined as courageous I was no more aware of being courageous than I was of breathing; I just simply did what I needed to do regardless of the opposition.

A man of courage does not seek the assurance of a courageous feeling nor does he seek reward for his courageous deeds. The courageous man would honestly ask, “How can I rely on a feeling that does not exist? And why would I seek glory for doing that which need must be done?”

The courageous man sees the need and makes a decision to act regardless of the opposition. He makes his choice based solely on the need to act and does not stop to consider the enemy nor the potential cost. He may acknowledge the reality of the adversary before him; he will even size him up, as he should. But when all is said and done the data he gathers will not dissuade him from acting because the need to act has voided all other options. The data will simply help him choose his next step. That step will always be a step forward into direct conflict with the opposition. It will move him onward and do that which needs to be done regardless of the odds against him or that he may risk all.

This man of courage, firmly rooted in his resolution, grows in stature, head and shoulder above his adversary striking terror in their hearts. His eyes remain solely fixed on the victory to be had and not on the enemy that stands in his way. When his foes look up at him and attempt to distract or scare him he does not lower his eyes to their gaze or his ear to their taunts for his focus remains locked onto his Mighty Father and God who stands on the opposite shore of victory. The reality is that this conqueror’s steadfast gaze, like a mirror, reflects his adversary’s stare and deflects it to face the True God and His son Jesus Christ who is the devil’s longtime nemesis. Once the devil has seen your focus and looked upon the Face of his Assured Defeat he will react in fear. Before the mighty man of courage all obstacles and would-be-tyrants crumble at his trust in the One True God.

-Journal Notes
December 3, 2006
Geoff Dunn ©

The Institutionalization of Sin

The current American legislative and judicial growth and expansion of government can be summed up with the phrase, “the institutionalization of sin.” It is driven by the progressive movement, the sciences, pseudo-sciences, popular opinion based on 10-second sound bites, fear-mongering and the modern montage of do-good religion. Liberals, moderates and conservatives are all involved. Good intentions are its compass. However, its direction always points south, away from God and His Word.

Our representatives in the various governmental bodies are giving legal approval and protection to many of the vices of mankind. Driven by a core belief that these vices cannot be overcome, they are giving them license to thrive (but always on conditions set by the state). Some of these are gambling, excessive and destructive free speech and sexual perversion. This is the accommodation of sin believing that it can be rendered harmless if kept in a cage as if it were a lion in a zoo. That might work if, like the lion, we had no direct contact with them.

Religion used to be the compass that determined morals. Today, practically speaking, the government has taken the place of religion. Preachers taught that vices were simply wrong and should be avoided altogether. This was based on their understanding of their religious texts and writings. Government has replaced this moral guidance with their own set of laws mostly based on scientific studies which have determined that vices are inherent in human nature (and to that extent, they are right) and are allowable as long as they do no harm to others (which conclusion is wrong, regardless of the senses evidence, because it does not take the long view of things).

All of this is done based on a belief that men can collectively control individual action by the outward coercion of law rather than rely on a lifestyle controlled inwardly by a deep seated sense of right and wrong. The reality is that religion failed because it relied on this outward influence and government will also do so in time.

This continual forward movement is being done exclusive of God or in spite of Him. Our government institutions have gone so far as to write Him off as powerless and even non-existent. Many men believe that if the Almighty exists at all, He has little interest and influence in the world and so they must step in. The truth is that God has little overriding influence and control over the collective actions of a community or nation. Where He does have tremendous influence is in the choices made by individuals who then can act collectively.

Many Christians feel powerless to change the tide of this progressive movement to institutionalize sin. However, they base that on observations of things on a grand scale. What they fail to recognize is the power inherent within them to affect change through individual righteous actions, prayer, and an expectation to be in the right place at the right time and to say the timely thing, speaking the truth from His Word in love.

Beyond this movement that institutionalizes sin, government has also set itself up as the arbiter of morals and correct action. Where they cannot enact laws to control behavior they use their power to influence it. Among these “morals” are the anti-smoking and anti-drinking campaigns. Preachers used to rail against these from the pulpit; today the government does it through the media. Preachers used the authority of Scripture; the government uses the authority of science and popular opinion.

I recently read that the city council of Atlantic City, New Jersey has banned smoking in all restaurants and bars. Except, that is, in the casinos. This is what experts today call “situational ethics.” I call it corrupt. I call it pragmatic bowing to the tyranny of special interests. It is decision making driven by the love of money rather than principle and constitutional law. On the one hand the politicians have bowed to the anti-smoking lobby while also bowing to the power of the casino. At one time we protected private property rights in this country, now the politicians protect their own turf at the expense of another man’s.

Every man is born with a sin-nature which is a corrupt propensity to do that which is against the nature of God. Laws, regardless of their source or the authority behind them, will never erase that nature because it is inherent within man. Accommodating it by legal recognition and control will only serve to incubate and prosper this corrupt nature. Attempting to selectively suppress this nature where it is deemed destructive will have the same effect (as the Atlantic City politicians have so clearly demonstrated).

The only hope for mankind is for individuals to return to God and humbly accept the atonement of Christ. The only true deliverance from this corrupt sin nature is to replace and overcome it with the righteous nature of Christ by confessing Christ as your lord and believing God raised him from the dead (Romans 10: 9 and 10). In doing this, a man or woman receives the new nature which can then prevail over the old nature as the individual lives according to the principles of God’s Word. Attempting to “manage” the old nature through compromise, accommodation and law is doomed to failure.

Romans 8:3 and 4
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
(New American Standard version)